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Wightman Cup

Former annual women's team tennis competition

Summary

Former annual women's team tennis competition

FieldValue
nameWightman Cup
statusInactive
genreSports event
frequencyAnnual
countryUSA, UK
first
last

The Wightman Cup was an annual team tennis competition for women contested from 1923 through 1989 (except during World War II) between teams from the United States and Great Britain.

History

U.S. player Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman wanted to generate international interest in women's tennis the way Davis Cup did for men's. In 1920, she donated a sterling silver vase to the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA) as a prize for an international team competition. Initial efforts to involve teams from all over the world, and in particular France with Suzanne Lenglen, proved unsuccessful due to financial constraints.

The USLTA decided to invite Great Britain to challenge for the prize. Each match consisted of seven 'rubbers': five singles rubbers and two doubles. The top two players from each team would face each other in singles, with the matches then reversed. A third singles player from each team would play each other once. Two doubles teams would compete, but no player could play more than one doubles match. The cup always ended with the doubles match played between the two top pairs from each team.

The inaugural competition was played on 11 and 13 August 1923 in the newly constructed stadium at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York. The matches were played in even years in Britain and in odd years in the U.S. The U.S. matches were played at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York from the first year, 1923, through 1947, and the British matches were played at Wimbledon from the first year, 1924, through 1972.

The competition was a two-day event until 1967 when the U.S. event was held over three days in order to generate more revenue. A record 16,000 spectators attended that year. was sponsored for the first time, and was called the Carnation Wightman Cup.

The BBC provided broadcast coverage of the competition from 1936 until 1987, although the final broadcast was limited to BBC Radio; the last televised competition in the UK was 1986.

The competition was continued through 1989, with the USTA and the Lawn Tennis Association jointly announcing on February 20, 1990, that the competition would be suspended indefinitely, citing low interest following years of American domination.

Results

Total wins: 51–10

YearLocationWinnerScore
1923Forest Hills, New York City7–0
1924Wimbledon, London6–1
1925Forest Hills, New York City4–3
1926Wimbledon, London4–3
1927Forest Hills, New York City5–2
1928Wimbledon, London4–3
1929Forest Hills, New York City4–3
1930Wimbledon, London4–3
1931Forest Hills, New York City5–2
1932Wimbledon, London4–3
1933Forest Hills, New York City4–3
1934Wimbledon, London5–2
1935Forest Hills, New York City4–3
1936Wimbledon, London4–3
1937Forest Hills, New York City6–1
1938Wimbledon, London5–2
1939Forest Hills, New York City5–2
1940–45
1946Wimbledon, London7–0
1947Forest Hills, New York City7–0
1948Wimbledon, London6–1
1949Haverford, Pennsylvania7–0
1950Wimbledon, London7–0
1951Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts6–1
1952Wimbledon, London7–0
1953Rye, New York7–0
1954Wimbledon, London6–0
1955Rye, New York6–1
1956Wimbledon, London5–2
1957Edgeworth, Pennsylvania6–1
1958Wimbledon, London4–3
1959Edgeworth, Pennsylvania6–1
1960Wimbledon, London4–3
1961Chicago, Illinois6–1
1962Wimbledon, London4–3
1963Cleveland, Ohio6–1
1964Wimbledon, London5–2
1965Cleveland, Ohio5–2
1966Wimbledon, London4–3
1967Cleveland, Ohio6–1
1968Wimbledon, London4–3
1969Cleveland, Ohio5–2
1970Wimbledon, London4–3
1971Cleveland, Ohio4–3
1972Wimbledon, London5–2
1973Brookline, Massachusetts5–2
1974Queensferry, Wales6–1
1975Cleveland, Ohio5–2
1976Crystal Palace, London5–2
1977Oakland, California7–0
1978{{cite magazinelast = McDermottfirst = Barrytitle = A Grim Grip On The Cupvia= SI Vaultmagazine=Sports Illustratedpublisher = Time Inc.date =1979-11-12url = https://vault.si.com/vault/1979/11/12/a-grim-grip-on-the-cup/archive-url = https://archive.today/20130103114927/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1126296/index.htmurl-status = livearchive-date = January 3, 2013
1979West Palm Beach, Florida7–0
1980Royal Albert Hall, London5–2
1981Chicago7–0
1982Royal Albert Hall, London6–1
1983Williamsburg, Virginia6–1
1984{{cite webtitle = Wightman Cup Tennis Tiedwork = The New York Timesdate = 1984-11-02url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60610FA385D0C718CDDA80994DC484D81access-date =2008-04-23 }}Royal Albert Hall, London
1985Williamsburg, Virginia7–0
1986{{cite webtitle = Scouting; Lloyd Out of Wightmandate = 1986-10-15url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE6D91538F936A25753C1A960948260access-date =2008-04-23 }}Royal Albert Hall, London
1987Williamsburg, Virginia5–2
1988{{cite webtitle = Results Pluswork = The New York Timesdate = 1998-11-06url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE4DE1E3EF935A35752C1A96E948260access-date =2008-04-23 }}Royal Albert Hall, London
1989Williamsburg, Virginia7–0

References

References

  1. (January 15, 1922). "Wightman Cup Up Again". The New York Times.
  2. (1974). "The Encyclopedia of Tennis". George Allen & Unwin Ltd.
  3. (Aug 11, 1923). "Lady Tennis Stars in International Contest". The Morning Leader.
  4. USTA, United States Tennis Association. (1979). "Official Encyclopedia of Tennis". Harper & Row.
  5. "The LTA 1945 to 1988". LTA.
  6. (1978-11-02). "Wightman Cup official programme 1978".
  7. "No Contest: Wightman Cup Is Canceled", ''[[Washington Post]]'', February 21, 1990
  8. (February 21, 1990). "Wightman Cup Stopped". The New York Times.
  9. (February 21, 1990). "British Cancel '90 Wightman Cup". Daily Press.
  10. [http://www.tennislovers.com/Content/guiness_noframes.htm Guinness Tennis Book of World Records] {{webarchive. link. (July 24, 2011)
  11. Collins, Bud. (2008). "The Bud Collins History of Tennis: An Authoritative Encyclopedia and Record Book". New Chapter Press.
  12. [https://web.archive.org/web/20101121071216/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,718650,00.html Time magazine, June 30, 1924.]
  13. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110524082216/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,720869-1,00.html Time magazine, August 24, 1925.]
  14. [https://www.nytimes.com/1926/06/19/archives/us-women-take-the-wightman-cup-wrest-tennis-trophy-from-british.html New York Times, June 19, 1926.]
  15. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930093506/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,730985,00.html Time magazine, August 22, 1927.]
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  17. [https://web.archive.org/web/20071001002935/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,737713,00.html Time magazine, August 19, 1929.]
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  19. [https://web.archive.org/web/20081215031840/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,742126,00.html Time magazine, August 17, 1931.]
  20. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930092909/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,753345,00.html Time magazine, June 20, 1932.]
  21. [https://web.archive.org/web/20071001002744/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,745927,00.html Time magazine, August 13, 1933.]
  22. [https://web.archive.org/web/20101125070315/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,754282,00.html Time magazine, June 25, 1934.]
  23. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110524082517/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,748936,00.html Time magazine, August 26, 1935.]
  24. [https://web.archive.org/web/20081215080735/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,756364,00.html Time magazine, June 22, 1936.]
  25. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110524082539/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,930970,00.html Time magazine, August 30, 1937.]
  26. [https://web.archive.org/web/20100826102336/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,788733,00.html Time magazine, June 20, 1938.]
  27. [https://web.archive.org/web/20071001015510/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,762540,00.html Time magazine, September 4, 1939.]
  28. [https://web.archive.org/web/20101014101731/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,764112,00.html Time magazine, June 24, 1940]
  29. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930135908/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,803945-3,00.html Time magazine, September 2, 1946] "For the first time since 1938, the top five U.S. women players...headed for England to play Britain's top women in Wightman Cup competition."
  30. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930075514/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,852859,00.html Time magazine, June 24, 1946.]
  31. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930044818/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,798074,00.html Time magazine, August 25, 1947.]
  32. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930160016/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,800694,00.html Time magazine, September 19, 1949.]
  33. [https://web.archive.org/web/20081202022540/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,818660,00.html Time magazine, August 10, 1953.]
  34. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110131160453/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,810366,00.html Time magazine, June 23, 1958.]
  35. [https://web.archive.org/web/20101008070914/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,826448,00.html Time magazine, June 20, 1960.]
  36. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930064030/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,939827,00.html Time magazine, September 1, 1961.]
  37. [https://www.nytimes.com/1964/06/15/us-and-british-split-2-matches.html New York Times, June 15, 1964.]
  38. [https://www.nytimes.com/1965/08/10/archives/us-beats-britain-in-wightman-cup-tennis-for-31st-time-5-matches-to.html New York Times, August 10, 1965.]
  39. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930225128/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/171317262.html?dids=171317262:171317262&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=NOV+14,+1976&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Evert%27s+Win+Insures+Wightman+Cup+Return&pqatl=google Washington Post, November 14, 1976.] "...to bring the Wightman Cup back to the United States for the first time since 1973."
  40. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930225128/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/171317262.html?dids=171317262:171317262&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=NOV+14,+1976&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Evert%27s+Win+Insures+Wightman+Cup+Return&pqatl=google Washington Post, November 14, 1976.]
  41. [http://www.iht.com/articles/1995/04/25/fed_0.php International Herald Tribune, April 25, 1995.] "...discontinued in 1990 after the Americans won their 11th straight."
  42. {{Cite magazine. (1980-10-30.)
Wikipedia Source

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